Randy Sexton on Amerks Coach Benoit Groulx

A week after the game 7 loss to the Abbotsford Heat the hot topic amongst Amerks fans is the fate of Amerks head coach Benoit Groulx who has one year left on his contract. The issues most have with the coach were decisions made during the playoffs, perceived lack of strategies during the season and also an issue of respect between the players and coach.

No one should expect that someone from either the Florida Panthers or Rochester Americans organization would say anything bad about the guy or that his job is in jeopardy.

I asked Randy Sexton about the thoughts players have given to the press and also the response from the crowd he heard in game 7 to which he responded, “I think Ben did a very good job for us.”

“We came in 29th place last year, this year we came in 10th. Granted we had more talent but at times this year we had up to 14 guys out of the lineup and we continued to enjoy success.”

An NHL General Manager is expected to give those types of answers. The same types of answers that Ted Nolan and Lewis Staats gave. We’d all love to hear someone say someones job is seriously being looked at but that does not happen because it’d just create more internal issues.

Randy Sexton also said, “You have to look at things in the fullness of time. I won’t hide the fact that we’re disappointed, we all thought we’d go farther in the playoffs, Ben included.”

I have not talked to Benoit Groulx since the post game press conference following game 7 but I have talked to other people who’ve said he is just as disappointed by the loss as the fans and players are. No one wanted to lose. No one. It happened and it’s over and it’s worth noting that everyone in the locker room was as disappointed as everyone else.

Sexton finished by saying that as they do every year no matter the outcome of the season, “We’ll do a full analysis.”

Randy Sexton was at all four Amerks home games and had a scout report back to him on the road games in Abbotsford. He saw everything that we saw and heard, it’ll be interesting to see what happens.

Randy wouldnt say anything bad about our coach? This coming from the man who said that everyone on his team is for sale. Plus he wants to analyze the entire year, he can analyze this. This team was built for one reason, to bring home the Cup. Analysis, failure! Other teams have no problem axing the man in charge when they fail, why not here. Two years of teams, to very different teams. Last year young, inexperienced = loses. This year more mature, free agents= more wins with season ending in failure. Only constant in this formula the coach. His system does not work on this level of hockey. This team could have succeded with two new things. 1. A coach that had system that could change to fit the obsticles that came during the season. 2. A G.M. in florida that saw our needs before they become a “mid-season slump”, and possibly made trades to fill our lack players that was caused by his teams inability to stay healthy for more than one game. I could go on forever but that wont change anything until we get a change in coaching.